SAFER AND STRONGER COMMUNITIES
Uncover
your partner’s past
Clare’s Law
You’ve met someone new, being showered with affection, spending more and more time with your new-found love and quickly planning a life together. It feels a little fast, but everything is great. Right?
You have the right to know if a current or former partner has a history of violence or abuse. Under Clare’s Law, individuals have the right to approach the police to request information about a current or ex-partner if they fear they may pose a future risk or if they have a history of abuse. This law also allows you to request information about the partner of a close friend, neighbour or family member if you’re worried they might be at risk of domestic abuse. How to report At a police station You can go to any police station to make a request. A police officer or member of police staff will take down some details and talk you through the next steps. You’ll be asked to give your: name, address, date of birth . Online Visit www.telford.gov.uk/ClaresLaw Need support with domestic abuse? • If you are in immediate danger, call 999 . • If you cannot speak, use the silent option. Call 999, answer the questions by coughing or tapping, then dial 55 if prompted. • If you, or someone you know is currently experiencing mental or physical abuse, call the Telford & Wrekin Domestic Abuse Service 0800 840 3747 . • If you have a hearing or speech impairment, use our textphone service 18000 or text us on 999 . • If you’ve pre-registered with the Contact 999 using Relay UK – How to use Relay UK | Relay UK .
It’s easy to miss red flags when you are feeling loved. But slowly remarks about your friends, never letting you pay – or difficult conversations about money – freezing you out when you’re upset or just not being able to share your hurts, needs, or wants in a relationship, can be signs that the person you are falling for is not being entirely honest with you. Ignoring your own needs to maintain a status quo, will only work for so long and a few months down the line you may start to find that you don’t feel entirely at ease, but are not sure why. These niggling issues may be a sign that the road ahead holds harsher attempts of manipulation and control, but there is a way to get a better understanding of the person in your life. Clare’s Law – also known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme – was named after Clare Wood, who was tragically killed by her violent ex-boyfriend in 2009. Clare’s father Michael spearheaded the campaign for change, leading to the law being officially implemented in England and Wales in 2014.
“We take a zero-tolerance approach to domestic abuse in Telford and Wrekin, Clare’s Law is a way people can protect themselves. It’s been around since 2014. However, it is not taken up often enough. No matter how trivial you think it might be, it’s better to be safe. Clare didn’t have the choice so we would encourage everyone who can to make use of Clare’s Law to prevent domestic abuse.”
Councillor Kelly Middleton Telford & Wrekin Council Cabinet Member for Healthier, Safer & Stronger Communities and Partnerships
TOTALLY TELFORD
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